SEATTLE, WA — Amazon has taken a significant step in advancing its warehouse automation capabilities by hiring the founders of AI robotics startup Covariant. The e-commerce giant announced on Friday evening that it has brought on board Covariant’s co-founders — Pieter Abbeel, Peter Chen, and Rocky Duan — along with approximately a quarter of the startup’s employees. This strategic move, often referred to as a “reverse acquihire,” allows Amazon to gain cutting-edge talent and technology without fully acquiring the startup.
Covariant, known for developing AI models specifically for robotic applications, has been focused on creating robotic arms that excel in tasks like bin picking within warehouse environments. Earlier this year, co-founder Peter Chen described their work as building “a large language model, but for robot language,” positioning Covariant as a leader in AI-driven robotics.
In addition to the key hires, Amazon has secured a non-exclusive license to utilize Covariant’s advanced robotic foundation models. Joseph Quinlivan, Vice President of Amazon Fulfillment Technologies & Robotics, stated, “With some of the smartest minds, we will advance fundamental research, marrying our rich expertise to unlock new ways for AI and robots to assist our operations employees.”
The hiring of Covariant’s founders echoes a similar strategy Amazon employed in June when it brought in the founders of AI startup Adept, further bolstering its technological prowess in the face of increasing antitrust scrutiny.
While Covariant will continue its operations independently under the leadership of newly appointed CEO Ted Stinson, the integration of its AI technology into Amazon’s existing robotic systems is expected to significantly enhance the performance and efficiency of the company’s fulfillment centers, delivering greater value to customers across various industries.
